Search results for "SWI"
showing 10 items of 1473 documents
A Good Breath of Oxygen for Beta-Like Cells Obtained From Porcine Exocrine Pancreatic Tissue
2011
Ischemia is the most important factor that affects organ survival during harvesting. The two-layer method (TLM) is one of several cold storage solutions that seeks to preserve organs and cells avoiding in vivo and in vitro ischemia. We compared the retrieval of beta-like elements from exocrine pancreatic cells using TLM versus University of Wisconsin (UW) solutions. For this purpose pancreata laparoscopically harvested from 20 female pigs were preserved in UW solution or TLM before digestion. The resulting exocrine cells were divided into 2 groups: the first was cultured in a designed medium to allow differentiation into beta-like cells and the second was cryopreserved before the differenti…
Study and Modelling of the Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) Process Employed in the Production of Oxygen
1999
An isothermal and non-equilibrium mathematical model was provided for the multi-component adsorption process. In addition, the software was developed for the VSA-based production of oxygen with the use of a CaX zeolite molecular sieve. The mathematical model and computer software were verified on the basis of experimental data. The study employed a test stand comprising two adsorption columns. The adsorption pressure P A = 150 and 135 kPa and desorption pressure P D = 20 kPa were adopted in the experiments. The tests produced oxygen with the purity of 90–94% O 2 (vol), at an efficiency of 55–73% and productivity of 570–850 kg O 2 per ton per day. The calculation results showed good consiste…
Age-Related Decline in Olympic Triathlon Performance: Effect of Locomotion Mode
2010
This study describes the decline in performance with age during Olympic triathlon Age Groups World Championships among the different locomotion modes. Mean performance of top 10 performers were analyzed for each group of age using the exponential model proposed by Baker, Tang, and Turner (2003, Experimental Aging Research, 29, 47-65). Comparison in performance decline was done between locomotion modes. Decline in performance in triathlon as a function of age follows an exponential model. A significant interaction effect between age and locomotion mode was observed on performance values. In swimming, a significant decrease was observed close to 5% per year after 45 years. Decline in performa…
Fluke egg characteristics for the diagnosis of human and animal fascioliasis by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica
2009
In trematodiases, shape and size of the fluke eggs shed with faeces are crucial diagnostic features because of their typically reduced intraspecific variability. In fascioliasis, the usual diagnosis during the biliary stage of infection is based on the classification of eggs found in stools, duodenal contents or bile. The aim of the present study is to validate the identification of Fasciola species based on the shape and size of eggs shed by humans, characterizing their morphometric traits using a computer image analysis system (CIAS). The influence of both the geographical location and of the host (human and livestock) has been analysed. Coprological studies were carried out in fasciolias…
Molecular characterization of 39 de novo sSMC: contribution to prognosis and genetic counselling, a prospective study.
2012
Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMCs) are structurally abnormal chromosomes that cannot be characterized by karyotype. In many prenatal cases of de novo sSMC, the outcome of pregnancy is difficult to predict because the euchromatin content is unclear. This study aimed to determine the presence or absence of euchromatin material of 39 de novo prenatally ascertained sSMC by array-comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) or single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Cases were prospectively ascertained from the study of 65,000 prenatal samples [0.060%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.042-0.082]. Array-CGH showed that 22 markers were derived from non-acrocentric markers (56.4%) a…
Humidity of Anaesthetic Gases with Respect to Low Flow Anaesthesia
1994
It has been demonstrated in an experimental study in swine using the scanning electron microscope that a rebreathing technique utilising minimal fresh gas flowrates significantly improves climatization of anaesthetic gases. Consequently, effects of various anaesthetic techniques on airway climate must be assessed, which covers the need for suitable measuring devices. Basic principles and methods of humidity measurement in flowing anaesthetic gases include gravimetric hygrometry, dew point hygrometry, wet-dry bulb psychrometry, mass spectrometry, spectroscopic hygrometry and electrical hygrometry. A custom-made apparatus for continuous measurement of humidity and temperature in the inspired…
Heterogeneity of obesity-asthma association disentangled by latent class analysis, the SAPALDIA cohort
2017
Although evidence for the heterogeneity of asthma accumulated, consensus for definitions of asthma phenotypes is still lacking. Obesity may have heterogeneous effects on various asthma phenotypes. We aimed to distinguish asthma phenotypes by latent class analysis and to investigate their associations with different obesity parameters in adults using a population-based Swiss cohort (SAPALDIA). We applied latent class analysis to 959 self-reported asthmatics using information on disease activity, atopy, and age of onset. Associations with obesity were examined by multinomial logistic regression, after adjustments for age, sex, smoking status, educational level, and study centre. Body mass ind…
In vivo confocal laser endomicroscopy of the human liver: a novel method for assessing liver microarchitecture in real time
2008
Background and study aims Confocal endomicroscopy is a unique novel tool for in vivo histology in humans. Due to limitations imposed by the form of the equipment and by sterilization workflows, its use has been limited to the gastrointestinal tract so far. We have developed a rigid miniaturized probe for confocal endomicroscopy of the human liver during laparoscopy. Patients and methods To assess the feasibility and potential clinical value of this new system (diameter 6.3 mm), 25 patients with liver disease were examined during routine minilaparoscopy under conscious sedation. Results Subsurface serial images (from surface to 250 microm) were generated in real time after fluorescein inject…
Switching from omalizumab to mepolizumab: real-life experience from Southern Italy.
2020
Background: Current availability of several biologic treatments for severe asthma makes it possible to choose the most appropriate for each patient. Sometimes a good percentage of patients with severe asthma may be eligible for biologics that target either the allergic phenotype or the eosinophilic one, but not all respond to that selected as first choice. The aim of our real-life study was to assess whether, for patients with severe eosinophilic allergic asthma, not previously controlled by the anti-IgE omalizumab, the shift to another biologic targeting interleukin-5, such as mepolizumab, may represent a good therapeutic choice. Methods: A total of 41 consecutive patients with severe, per…
Correlation between the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and sperm morphology of infertile patients
2020
Abstract Purpose To evaluate the correlation between the DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) and sperm morphology in patients undergoing ICSI, as a predictive parameter in reproductive outcomes. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 125 infertile patients enrolled in a fertility clinic. Seminal characteristics were measured following the WHO guidelines (2010) for the examination of the seminal fluid. After collecting motile sperm population by pellet swim up, DFI was calculated and simultaneously associated with sperm morphology using in situ TUNEL assay and an image analyzer software in at least 250 spermatozoa for each patient. Results All subjects were divided into two groups accordin…